Pope Leo XIV has become the first pontiff in history known to have voted in a United States general election, submitting a mail-in ballot in Chicago ahead of the November 3 midterm polls, the Vatican confirmed on Friday.
The historic development marks an unprecedented moment for the papacy, with the first American-born head of the Roman Catholic Church exercising his voting rights while serving as the spiritual leader of approximately 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide.
The Holy See Press Office confirmed that Leo, who holds American citizenship, had maintained a longstanding practice of participating in elections whenever eligible.
"Pope Leo XIV has exercised his right to vote as a United States citizen, whenever he was eligible to do so," the Vatican said in an official statement.
The statement added that the pontiff had submitted his mail-in ballot in Chicago, continuing his commitment to civic participation despite residing outside the United States.
๐ฉ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ป ๐ฒ๐บ๐ฝ๐ต๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ ๐ฐ๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ฐ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ฝ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ฏ๐ถ๐น๐ถ๐๐
The Vatican said Leo regarded participation in democratic processes as both a right and a responsibility of citizens.
"The Holy Father expresses his belief in the right and the duty of citizens to participate in democratic processes," the Holy See Press Office said.
The statement also revealed that the pontiff had participated in elections during his years of residence in Peru whenever he was eligible to vote.
Born Robert Francis Prevost in Chicago, Leo spent more than two decades serving as a missionary and bishop in Peru before rising through the Catholic Church's leadership.
He holds both American and Peruvian citizenship and was elected pope in May 2025, becoming the first US-born pontiff in the Church's history.
His participation in the American midterms is considered particularly significant because serving popes have traditionally remained outside electoral politics in their capacity as heads of the Catholic Church and Vatican City State.
๐ฃ๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐๐ ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐น๐น๐ผ๐ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐น๐น๐ถ๐ป๐ผ๐ถ๐
According to reports citing election officials in Illinois, Leo requested a mail-in ballot on October 3 through the Will County Clerk's Office.
The pontiff is registered to vote under his birth name, Robert Francis Prevost, in Illinois, where voters will decide several important state and federal contests.
Among the prominent races are the election for the US Senate seat being vacated by retiring Senator Dick Durbin and the contest for Illinois governor, in which incumbent JB Pritzker is seeking another term.
The Vatican did not disclose which candidates Leo supported, and the secrecy of the ballot means his electoral choices remain private.
Under US federal election rules, eligible American citizens residing abroad are permitted to participate in elections through absentee voting arrangements.
๐ ๐ถ๐ฑ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐บ ๐ฝ๐ผ๐น๐น๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ก๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐บ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฏ
The US midterm elections are scheduled for Tuesday, November 3, with voters deciding the composition of Congress and several state administrations.
All 435 seats in the House of Representatives will be contested, along with 35 of the Senate's 100 seats.
Gubernatorial elections will also take place in 36 states, alongside numerous other state and local contests.
The elections will determine control of Congress during the remaining two years of President Donald Trump's second term, with both major parties seeking to strengthen their positions in Washington.
The outcome will influence the administration's ability to advance legislation and shape congressional oversight of federal policies.
๐ฃ๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฒ'๐ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐บ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ธ๐ ๐ผ๐ป ๐จ๐ฆ ๐ฝ๐ผ๐น๐ถ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฒ๐
Leo's decision to vote comes against the backdrop of public disagreements between the pontiff and Trump over immigration policies and international conflicts.
The pope has repeatedly called for humane treatment of migrants and advocated dialogue and diplomatic solutions to armed conflicts.
His criticism of the war involving Iran and the treatment of immigrants in the United States drew sharp responses from Trump earlier this year.
The US president publicly criticised the pontiff, while Leo maintained that he would continue speaking about peace, human dignity and the principles of the Catholic Church.
Despite those disagreements, the Vatican's announcement on Friday focused on civic participation rather than any political preference or endorsement.
๐๐ถ๐๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฐ ๐บ๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐
The development has attracted attention because of the unusual position Leo occupies as both an American citizen and the sovereign of Vatican City State.
While American citizens living overseas retain voting rights subject to applicable election laws, a serving pope participating in a national political election represents a departure from established papal precedent.
The Vatican's confirmation also highlighted that Leo's participation was consistent with his personal history of voting in elections before becoming pontiff.
By casting his ballot, Leo has established a new precedent for a serving pope while reiterating the importance he places on democratic participation and civic responsibility.
The historic vote comes just days before Americans head to the polls in an election that will determine the balance of political power in Congress.